Vehicle detection system

Abstract

One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a detection system including a chemical taggant and a detector. The chemical taggant may be a chemical not substantially present in an untagged target exhaust plume and able to be disposed in the exhaust system of a target and to enter the exhaust plume of the exhaust system in detectable quantities. The chemical taggant may have one or more distinct energy signatures, such as optical energy signatures, that allow its detection. The detector may be able to detect at least one of these one or more energy signatures of the chemical taggant in the exhaust plume. Another embodiment relates to a method of detecting a target by disposing a chemical taggant in the exhaust system of the target and then detecting the chemical taggant.

1. A detection system comprising:
 a chemical taggant not substantially present in an untagged target exhaust plume or atmospheric air, the chemical taggant having one or more distinct energy signatures, the chemical taggant is operable to be placed in an exhaust system of a target, to decompose in the presence of exhaust gases of the target, and to enter an exhaust plume of the exhaust system in detectable quantities at sufficiently high temperature of the exhaust system when the target is operated; and 
 a detector operable to detect at least one of the one or more distinct energy signatures of the chemical taggant in the exhaust plume to detect a movement of the target, wherein the chemical taggant comprises deuterium oxide (D 2 O). 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises a filter that attenuates energy at wavelengths other than at least one wavelength corresponding with the distinct energy signature. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a substrate containing the chemical taggant and operable to be placed in the exhaust system of the target. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the substrate is operable to release the chemical taggant at the exhaust plume temperature. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stationary platform on which the detector is disposed. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a mobile platform on which the detector is disposed. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the mobile platform is selected from the group consisting of: another vehicle, an aircraft such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, or a satellite that orbits the Earth. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the detector comprises at least one narrow bandwidth bandpass filter operable to discriminate at least one of the one or more distinct energy signatures of the chemical taggant in the exhaust plume from noise when the exhaust plume is emitted periodically. 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the target comprises a vehicle having an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle tracking system of  claim 9 , wherein the system further comprises a tailpipe located in the exhaust system. 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the chemical taggant is placed in the tailpipe. 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more distinct energy signatures comprise an optical energy signature. 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the optical energy signature comprises a fluorescent energy signature.